Tease
by Angel Leviathan
Summary: He had to turn her into a leading member of the USAF in less than an hour, if only one who looked the part.


Title: Tease

Author: Angel Leviathan

Spoilers: None. I think.

Season: 2

Disclaimer: Atlantis, characters, concept, etc, aren't mine.

Notes: Written for 50lyricsfanfic.

* * *

"_You really mean this?"_

_"If we wish to trade with them and ensure fruitful relations, then I believe there is no way around this. I may not agree with the rules of their society, but there is nothing we can do that will change their opinions. If it is you they speak to, they will distrust us all."_

"_Because I'm a woman?"_

"_It is distasteful, I am aware."_

"_Did you have to defer to Ronon on the planet?"_

"_No. But it is true that in their society, women are second class citizens. They are allowed to hold every position of power but the top. That way, they believe they are ensuring that women are satisfied with what gains they make, preventing major revolution, and making sure that it is always a male who has the final say. Their women are intelligent and seemingly happy with the situation.."_

"_Takes different cultures I suppose…"_

"_It is…different."_

"_So for the hours they're here, I can't lead the city?"_

"_If you wish gain their trust in a short space of time…no. They know a Doctor Weir leads the city and a Colonel Sheppard is the second in command…"_

"…_John's going to love this…"_

He knew he was in trouble the moment she told him the plan. John wasn't sure he could trust himself to behaviour in the correct manner and not try and provoke her for the day. Well, the few hours anyway. He'd never made a good diplomat. He just hoped they really had fine tuned their ability to communicate in a single gaze. He could hardly ask her opinion every five minutes. He was a little uncomfortable suddenly claiming leadership of the city, but thought she would be more so having to state that she was their military commander. Since the early hours of the day of the meeting they had been in his quarters, whilst she instructed him in exactly how to behave, insulting his pride in a teasing manner more often than not to get him to co-operate. But now it was her turn. He had to turn her into a leading member of the USAF in less than an hour, if only one who looked the part.

"I know it's a stereotype, but you're going to have to be more aggressive than you usually are…you know, step out of line a little…" he proposed.

"You mean like you do?" Elizabeth answered sweetly, eyes dancing.

John paused, "…Yes…like I do…"

"You mean anything I think is a threat, jump on it?"

"Right down their throats," he nodded, "…Tactfully of course."

"I'm always tactful."

"I'm guessing they wont be asking for weapons demonstrations or anything, but point them in Lorne's direction if they do."

She nodded, "Got it."

"And if you think they look like they might pull anything, at least act like you're going to kick their asses," John stated.

"Seen you do that."

"Yeah, well, if they get within three feet of you I'm all for kicking asses," he mumbled. John looked startled for a moment, realising what he'd said, and glanced up to see her amused smile, "Anyway. If I have to be the diplomatic one, you have to be the one who takes no crap from anyone."

Elizabeth inclined her head, "So bordering on insubordination then?"

He knew she was teasing him and it took all his self control to give a reply that wasn't a sarcastic retort, "Hey, its not like I can reprimand you," okay, so he lost that battle, "But if they try anything, we're losing this act," John insisted.

"We're still leaving a handgun in my desk drawer, right?"

"Hell yeah," John reached to un-strap the holster at his side, handing her the weapon and then the holster, "You'll be needing this." He had expected a flinch or a moment's hesitation from her, but she took the gun with a curt nod and set about adjusting the holster to fit her. He looked her up and down once she was finished. John frowned before taking his black jacket off, "And this for good measure."

Elizabeth shrugged hers off and took his, "I'll drown in it," she commented.

"Well, look dominating whilst drowning in it," he slung her jacket onto his bed. He shoved aside the thought that she looked good in black and quickly suppressed the image of her in one of his black t-shirts and not a hell of a lot else. John looked everywhere but at her for a moment, and, as if she sensed something wasn't right, when he looked back at her, was met with a stern, worried, frown. Which did nothing to help him whatsoever.

"Onstage in ten minutes," she commented, checking her watch.

Ten minutes to clear out his mind and tell himself he certainly wasn't going to mess with her whilst he technically had legitimate power over her for once. It was too tempting. He knew Elizabeth could looked damned scary when she tried. It just happened to be a problem for him that she also looked absolutely stunning when she did so. And she was sure going to have to look scary for the next few hours. Which meant trouble for him.

"Meet you by the 'Gate in five minutes," Elizabeth nodded and adjustedthe jacket,"Let's hope we can pull this off," she headed for the door.

He closed his eyes for a moment and internally winced at her choice of phrasing. Damn. Maybe she knew what she was doing to him all along, "See you there," he nodded as she vanished.

Exactly twelve minutes later, John knew he might never recover from hearing the words she uttered until they were true.

"I'm Elizabeth Sheppard, Lieutenant Colonel," she greeted.

_Damn._

**Fin**


End file.
